Why I am an Optimist

[Narz]

I read the article.

It made me think of a question.

China has evidently come a long way in the last quarter-century. Do you think they would have done even better under a Capitalism government?

 

[Narz]

Good points gallego.

Interesting graphs I found here :

Granted this data is for US only.

Top: US GDP per capita, and US median family income, in thousands of chained 2000 US dollars. (GDP from the BEA, median family income from Data 360, and population from the Census Bureau). Bottom: Percentage of persons who responded to the question "Taken all together, how would you say things are these days‐‐would you say that you are very happy, pretty happy, or not too happy?" with each of the three options. (General Social Survey).

 

[JerichoHill]

China has evidently come a long way in the last quarter-century. Do you think they would have done even better under a Capitalism government?

What style? China's culture probably would make them better suited under Nordic Capitalism, I would think.

 

[JerichoHill]

Good points gallego.

Interesting graphs I found here :

Granted this data is for US only.

Top: US GDP per capita, and US median family income, in thousands of chained 2000 US dollars. (GDP from the BEA, median family income from Data 360, and population from the Census Bureau). Bottom: Percentage of persons who responded to the question "Taken all together, how would you say things are these days‐‐would you say that you are very happy, pretty happy, or not too happy?" with each of the three options. (General Social Survey).

Im trying to figure out the kink. Weird. What that shows is that a rising standard of living isn't the final determinate of happiness. That's cool. I'm not interested in improving the standard of living in developed countries to improve their happiness. Im interested in improving the SoL in the poor third world where money would...because theyd be fed, clothed, and sheltered a heck more reliably than they are now.

 

[Narz]

I'm all for sustainable development in the 3rd world (I even tried to join the Peace Corp at 19, but they wouldn't have me since I wasn't a college graduate). And Research & Development of all kinds for that matter. Imagine is we spent all the money we have occupying the Middle East helping 3rd world countries develop (and perhaps learning a thing or two about streamlining our own economic systems in the process).

Sadly our government must not believe as strongly as most of it's citizens do that reliable alternatives (to fossil fuels) exist. Otherwise it wouldn't waste so much money trying to secure their share.

 

[gallego]

Im trying to figure out the kink. Weird. What that shows is that a rising standard of living isn't the final determinate of happiness. That's cool. I'm not interested in improving the standard of living in developed countries to improve their happiness. Im interested in improving the SoL in the poor third world where money would...because theyd be fed, clothed, and sheltered a heck more reliably than they are now.

That's great and that's what I hope to go into as a career on the law side (international development). After college I'm going to work probably in Latin America and work on this directly. I am totally for the elimination of poverty and the development of stable and prosperous societies in the here and now.

But I think that modern society is getting more and more impoverished in other aspects. Individuals can have fulfilling lives if they figure out what they want and have the ability to do it, but people are struggling with this more and more. At least that's the impression I get looking around and talking to older relatives who talk about how things used to be. I think the problem is that everyone focuses on how many things have gotten better since older times (we are richer, safer, less discrimination, etc.) so much that they miss that a lot of the good things that existed--a sense of ethics, social cohesion, self-fulfillment--a spirit of human, not just material, advancement. Lots of societies throughout the ages have gotten more powerful and prosperous yet lost the public spirit.

 

[Narz]

China's culture probably would make them better suited under Nordic Capitalism, I would think.

What about their culture?

 

[Hygro]

I graduated with a bachelor's (an associates doesn't help much). I moved up to DC, got an internship paying 10 bucks an hour, got into grad school, got a data gig for 15 bucks, then into the government for slightly more, and well...went from there. If I wasn't studying or working or at the gym (or thank god, on a date), I was applying for jobs beyond my reach...and every now and then someone would take a chance.

I always knew working out was a critical part of the plan!